What’s new from Clements Wholesale Fruit & Veg this month…
The Clements Wholesale Fruit & Veg team are passionate about sourcing in season produce that is of the highest quality. One of the highlights of this time of year has got to be Yorkshire forced rhubarb. It really is the ultimate homegrown ingredient, especially prized because of it’s unusual season of January to March – when there are few other new British ingredients to grab our attention.
We think you’ll agree that the neon pink of these delicious stems is absolutely stunning. This amazing British product is grown in darkness & picked by candlelight which gives it a complex flavour, low acidity & of course its dazzling colour. Growers will also cultivate rhubarb outdoors so they can supply it throughout the year, usually until mid October. The flavour of outdoor grown varieties isn’t quite as delicate but still delicious.
The other fabulously bright coloured fruit at this time of year comes from the sunnier climes of Sicily & Spain. Blood oranges are a rarity on the supermarket shelves but they are a definite favourite here at Clements Wholesale Fruit & Veg. Their dark colouring is caused by the anthocyanin pigment found in the fruit. This pigment is also present in other darkly coloured produce such as blueberries, raspberries & purple cauliflowers. For the oranges to ‘blush’, they require the night time temperature to drop to -1c – -2c for at least an hour – meaning a 24hr temperature swing of nearly 20c from day to night!
Blood oranges make a dazzling addition to a breakfast citrus platter, are delicious with roast chicken & fennel or can be used to contrast the sweetness of a chocolate tart or cheesecake.
Back to British there are of course all the brassicas including the crisp Savoy Cabbage, but the star of these has got to be Purple Sprouting Broccoli. After a fairly sparse couple of months on the leafy veg front, the start of the Purple Sprouting Broccoli season marks a welcome change to the winter vegetable platter. Of course being smack, bang in the middle of the veg growing county of Lincolnshire means that here at Clements Wholesale Fruit & Veg we can source these delicious purple spears directly from the grower, meaning they are super fresh & crisp – no bendy broccoli here!
Not to be forgotten is another winter favourite, Jerusalem Artichokes. Somewhat misnamed they have no real link to Jerusalem & are not related to other artichokes, they are in fact a member of the sunflower family! Jerusalem Artichokes look a bit like a pink skinned root ginger & have a delicious sweet & nutty flavour. Super roasted, they also make a very tasty puree.
See you next month – we are already looking forward to asparagus & Jersey Royal new potatoes.
In the meantime do get in touch with us. The team at Clements Wholesale Fruit & Veg are always happy to answer queries, source new products or show you around our premises in Spalding, Lincolnshire.